_ Mental & Emotional HealthDiagnosing Borderline Personality Disorder By Jane Farrell articleBorderline personality disorder, a serious mental illness, affects six to ten million Americans, according to statistics from New York-Presbyterian Hospital. That’s more than twice the number of people affected by bipolar disorder or schizophrenia. And up to 90 percent of those diagnosed are women; while that may be because women seek treatment more often than men, it’s still a substantial number. Despite its prevalence, borderline personality disorder less widely known than other conditions such as depression.
_ Heart HealthA Better Measure of Obesity-Related Death Risk By Jane Farrell articleA new technique for measuring obesity may soon replace the classic BMI measurement, according to new research. The technique, known as ABSI (A Body Shape Index), was developed by Dr. Nir Krakauer, an assistant professor of civil engineering from City College of New York, and his father, Dr. Jesse Krakauer, MD The team tested the technique and published a follow-up study in the online journal PLoS ONE, that supports their contention that the technique, known as A Body Shape Index (ABSI), is a more effective predictor of mortality than Body Mass Index (BMI).
Women's Health and WellnessDiabetes & Stroke Linked for Women By articleNew research done at at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and published in the journal Diabetologia shows that diabetes in women is associated with an increased risk of stroke. Yet the data do not show the same association among men. Also, the researchers found the risk of stroke among diabetic women was substantially raised for women aged 55 years and over compared with younger women.
_ Heart HealthStudy: Blood Pressure Should Be Taken in Both Arms By Jane Farrell articleTo get the best possible blood pressure reading, health care practitioners should start taking readings using both arms, because a difference between the two readings indicates a significantly higher risk of heart disease, new research shows. Most blood pressure measurements are taken using only one arm. Although the link between heart disease and differences in “interarm” readings had been suspected, this is the first study that provides statistics supporting that theory.
_ Mental & Emotional HealthFighting Mild Forgetfulness By Jane Farrell articleEditor’s note: Dementia, including Alzheimer’s, is one of the most frightening health problems, especially as we age. It cannot be prevented or cured, and it is marked by a humiliating mental decline. Because it affects primarily older people, many of us are frightened by signs of forgetfulness or memory loss. Here, the experts from the National Institute on Aging explain the issue of mild forgetfulness and how you can handle it: What is mild forgetfulness?
Women's Health and WellnessWatch: Urine: What's Normal? By Jane Farrell articleHere's another addition to our Third Age video collection. Press play to start learning!
Men's HealthVitamin E, Selenium Linked to Increased Prostate Cancer Risk By Jane Farrell articleSelenium or Vitamin E can sharply increase the risk of prostate cancer, according to a new study from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center. Taking Vitamin E can raise the chances of getting prostate cancer by as much as 63 percent in some men. Taking selenium can double the risk of getting a high-grade form of the same illness. The findings, published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, are the latest to show that supplements don’t always have a positive effect.
_ Mental & Emotional HealthHealth-Care Coverage: A Tragic Exception By Jane Farrell articleBy Michelle Andrews, Kaiser Health News Dealing with the aftermath of a suicide or attempted suicide is stressful enough. But some health plans make a harrowing experience worse by refusing to cover medical costs for injuries that are related to suicide—even though experts say that in many cases such exclusions aren't permitted under federal law. Yet patients or their loved ones often don't realize that.
_ Skin Skin HealthPreventing and Treating Cellulite By articleBy Samira Zia Rehman When perusing through the shelves of anti-aging skin care products, you’ll probably notice that a significant number of them are dedicated to helping you get rid of cellulite. Although it isn’t harmful, cellulite is one of the most stubborn and embarrassing aesthetic issues to correct and, unfortunately, it only gets worse with age.
_ Mental & Emotional HealthThyroid Activity & Depression in Seniors By articleOlder people with thyroid gland activity that is in the normal range but more active than average may be at increased risk for depression, according to research done at the Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam, the Netherlands and published online ahead of print in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
_ Heart Health"Sticky Blood" and Strokes By Jane Farrell articleScientists at Imperial College London have discovered that iron deficiency may increase the risk of stroke by making blood stickier and more vulnerable to dangerous clothing. The Imperial team found that iron deficiency increases the stickiness of platelets, small blood cells that initiate blood clotting when they stick together.
_ Aging Well Senior Health Stress Management Stress-Free LivingStress Hormone Linked to Frailty By articleLow levels of cortisol in the morning and high levels in the evening are associated with declining grip strength and walking speed, which are indications of frailty in older adults. That is the finding of research done at Helmholtz Zentrum München in Neuherberg in Germany and published in the March 2014 issue of the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
_ Vision HealthColor Vision Problems as We Age By articleAbnormal color vision increases significantly with aging and affects 50% or more of people in the oldest age groups, according to a study done at The Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Institute in San Francisco and published in the journal Optometry and Vision Science.
Men's HealthDeclining Happiness for Men 70+ By articleResearch done at Oregon State University and Boston University found that perceptions of unhappiness – or dealing with “hassles” – tends to get worse for men once they are over 70. The study was published in the journal Psychology and Aging. Reasons vary, the investigators say, but may be because of health issues, cognitive decline, or the loss of a spouse or friends.
Heart HealthPost-Stroke Blood Pressure Treatment Not Always Effective By Jane Farrell articleGiving blood pressure lowering medications to patients who have suffered a stroke doesn’t reduce their likelihood of death or major disability, according to a new study. The study was published inJAMA. At least 25 percent of the population has high blood pressure, which greatly increases the risk of stroke. Lowering blood pressure has been shown to reduce the risk of stroke.
_ Pain ManagementTalk Therapy Best for Chronic Pain? By Jane Farrell articlePsychological treatment often provides better relief for chronic pain than prescription drugs or surgery, according to a review published by the American Psychological Association. However, it’s used much less frequently. “Chronic pain affects 116 million American adults, making it more prevalent than heart disease, diabetes and cancer combined, and traditional medical approaches are inadequate,” said lead author Mark P. Jensen, PhD, of the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at the University of Washington.
Heart HealthElectrical Energy to Treat AFib By articleAmong patients with untreated intermittent)atrial fibrillation, treatment with electrical energy, called radiofrequency ablation, resulted in a lower rate of abnormal atrial rhythms and episodes of AFib, according to a study in the February 19th 2014 issue of the Journal of the Americn Medical Association.